The Misadventures of Ducky

I think I mentioned a time or two that I was checking to make sure Ducky was with the herd, but I never actually told the story of why that is necessary.

Ducky hanging with gal pal, Sappho

One evening, I was doing my last check of the herd because I saw on the radar that it looked like a storm was going to hit us.  As I was doing my check, I could see rain and lightning to the west.  But I did not see Ducky.

Then I remembered that Caroline had come up with my milking girls and wanted to come in, but she didn’t have Ducky with her.  It wasn’t a big deal to me at the time because Ducky is old enough she isn’t always right by her mom.

Caroline and Pretzel begging to come in

I checked in pasture again and all of the buildings, and then I felt Caroline’s udder–it was full.  I was guessing she hadn’t been nursed since morning.  That really worried me because any time we’ve had coyote issues, it’s in the morning.

Caroline’s daughter, Ducky

I jumped in the ranger and drove like crazy through the buffer strip and around to the gates into the Back Forty because I was seeing more lightning, and I could feel the rain in the air.  I raced past the llamas on the second hill and started going to the south along the fence.

When I got to the draw between the back hill and the front hill, I kept getting closer.  It’s hard to see all the way to the bottom, and I had to see there because it’s a place the goats like to eat.

I didn’t know what I was going to hit in the tall grass, but I just kept going.  Then I saw a little white body.

I ran to her and was so relieved to see she was okay, just stuck where two panels overlap.  I got her out and didn’t even give her a chance to get her feet under her or have a potty break.  It’s not easy to get a four-month-old wild goat to stay in the Ranger with you, but I hadn’t taken the time to get the big pet taxi.  And, honestly, I really thought she was gone.  But we managed to get down the hill and then, instead of heading to the gate where I came in, I turned and went down the bottom towards the barnyard.  I felt a couple of sprinkles and I turned to go back up the hill that  took us to the lane.  I let her out and she ran back up to be with her mom.

I tell you, the next evening in pasture when I was checking again, she just stared at me.  It’s like she finally figured out what my purpose is out in the pasture.

And she is a smart little girl, because she has not gotten stuck since.